Still birth and miscarriage : keeping you and your baby safe

Knowing that you are pregnant can bring bliss and joy not only to you but to your family. For this reason, pregnancy is taken in the utmost care through preventive measures and regular consultation with a doctor. Any failure to provide the care and result to pregnancy complications can be disheartening and tragic especially to moms whose bonding with her baby in the womb has been strongly established. One of these failures is stillbirth which can cause emotional troubles and deep anguish to couple. Let us understand what is still birth and if there are some things that mothers could do to keep away from its causes.

Most often stillbirth and miscarriage are often interchanged one from the other. However, while some people may think that there is a thin line that distinguishes both, differences can be clearly outlined with the right knowledge.

Stillbirth happens when a fetus which has died in the uterus or during labor or delivery exits a woman's body. The term is often used in distinction to live birth or miscarriage. Most stillbirths occur in full term pregnancies.

Miscarriage on the other hand, is death of a baby before birth after 24 complleted weeks, or after weight of 500 gms or more.

Prevalence of stillbirth

"In developed countries of Western Europe, stillbirth occurs in three to four in 1000 live births. This merely means that for every 1000 babies born alive, there will be three or four stillborn babies. In the USA, where the gestational cut-off point is lower, the rate is seven in 1000. In developing countries of Sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia, the rate is estimated to be significantly higher at 32 per 1000." (src: pregnancybliss.com)

When the gestation is not known, the weight of the fetus will determine whether it is to be classified as a late miscarriage or a stillbirth. If the fetus weight is more than 500 grams (1.1 lb), this will be a stillbirth and be registered as such. If it is below this weight, it will be classified as a miscarriage (500 grams is the average weight at 24 weeks of gestation).(src: pregnancybliss.com)

In the next blog post, we will continue what causes stillbirth and how can it be recognized in early stages.